Galatians 4
Sonship in Christ
1Now I say, as long as the heir is a ▼▼ Or minor
child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is ▼▼ Lit lord
owner of everything, 2but he is under guardians and ▼▼ Or stewards
managers until the date set by the father. 3So also we, while we were children, were held din bondage under the ▼▼ Or rudimentary teachings or principles
,
felemental things of the world. 4But when gthe fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, hborn of a woman, born iunder ▼▼ Or law
the Law, 5so that He might redeem those who were under ▼▼ Or law
the Law, that we might receive the adoption as lsons. 6Because you are sons, mGod has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, n“Abba! Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and oif a son, then an heir ▼▼ I.e. through the gracious act of
through God. 8However at that time, qwhen you did not know God, you were rslaves to sthose which by nature are no gods. 9But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be tknown by God, uhow is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless ▼▼ Or rudimentary teachings or principles
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welemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 10You xobserve days and months and seasons and years. 11I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored ▼▼ Or for
over you in vain. 12I beg of you, zbrethren, aabecome as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13but you know that it was because of a ▼▼ Lit weakness of the flesh
bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the ▼▼ Or former
first time; 14and that which was a ▼▼ Or temptation
trial to you in my ▼▼ Lit flesh
bodily condition you did not despise or ▼▼ Lit spit out at
loathe, but agyou received me as an angel of God, as ahChrist Jesus Himself. 15Where then is ▼▼ Lit the congratulation of yourselves
that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16So have I become your enemy ajby ▼▼ Or dealing truthfully with you
telling you the truth? 17They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable ▼▼ Or thing
manner, and amnot only when I am present with you. 19 anMy children, with whom aoI am again in labor until apChrist is formed in you— 20but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for aqI am perplexed about you. Bond and Free
21Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not arlisten to the law? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, asone by the bondwoman and atone by the free woman. 23But authe son by the bondwoman ▼▼ Lit has been born
was born according to the flesh, and awthe son by the free woman through the promise. 24 ▼▼ Lit Which
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ayThis is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from azMount Sinai bearing children ▼▼ Lit into slavery
who are to be bbslaves; ▼▼ Lit which
she is Hagar. 25Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26But bdthe Jerusalem above is free; ▼▼ Lit which
she is our mother. 27For it is written, bf“Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear;Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For more numerous are the children of the desolate
Than of the one who has a husband.”
28And you brethren, bglike Isaac, are bhchildren of promise. 29But as at that time bihe who was born according to the flesh bjpersecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, bkso it is now also. 30But what does the Scripture say? bl“Cast out the bondwoman and her son,
For bm the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
31So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, ▼
▼ V 5:1, note 1
but of the free woman.
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